Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-30
AUDAC|0US TRAIN ROBBERY.

!: AUDACl0uS TRAIN ROBBERY
A Band Of Robbers Stop and Rob
n Southern Pacific Train-A Beef
Q Syndicate European News.
DARING TRAIN ROBBERY,
The Southern Pacific Train Stopped ant
the Express and Mail Robbed.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 28.-One Of tn,
most audacious, desperate and successful
train robberies ever recorded occurred yes
terday on the west bound overland trair
on the Southern Pacific Railway, neal
Tucson, Arizona. A special dispatch tc
the Evening Bulletin this afternoon from
Tucson gives these details: The western
bound express, due here at 1890 last even
ing, was stopped and robbed at Papago
station, eighteen miles east of here about
$3.50 o'clock last night. The number ol
men engaged in the robbery is variously
estimated from five to eight. Colonel
Harper, the engineer, when approaching
Papago side station, was
! sIGNALED BY RED LANTERN
to stop. He slowed down and as be ap.
preached the light noticed obstructions on
the track, so placed that in case he failed
to stop the engine would spread the track
and derail itself. Immediately on stopping
a dozen or more shots were fired into the
express car, and a man with pistol in
each hand boarded the locomotive and
commanded Harper to get down. Other
robbers had in the meantime been trying
to open the express car. Failing to get it
open they placed stick of giant powder
under it and compelled Harper to light g.
fuse attached. This he was obliged to do
but to avoid being blown up the messenger
opened the car and the robbers took pos
session. After extinguishing the fuse they
| took charge OF the car, uncoupled the
| engine, baggage and express arfrom the re-
mainder of tie train and made Harper get
| on the engine and pull ahead two lengths.
This being done, Harper was again put off
| and the robbers took charge and pulled six
miles toward Tucson. Here they killed the
engine and left it. During the run the rob-
bers went through the mail and express
cars but did not get more than $4,000.
They got two packages of railroad money.
$1,22O in one and one of $500, and also
took two packages of postage stamps going
to the postoffice at San Francisco. It is
reported the express messenger threw
thirty-five hundred dollars into stove
and saved it from the robbers. Nothing
was known here of the affair until past
midnight when telegram was received
I'm Dn to h~ L. T.
back eight miles to that place. A special
was sent down and the train baought in at
six this morning. None of the passengers
we're molested. Some OF the passengers
knew nothing of the trouble
until after the arrival here. Under Sheriff
Shebel was early at the scene, but could
discover nothing that would lead to the
indentity of the robbers. Ten trailers
under Deputy Sheriff Shaw have left for
the scene OF the trouble. The robbers are
believed to bedischarged railroad employees,
although they compelled Engineer Harper
to show them how to handle the locomo-
tive. 1t is believed by their actions in
handling the train that they were perfectly
familiar with such work.
Immediately upon the receipt Of the
news at tho nffice nf the Southcrn Pacific
Company in this city, A. N. Towne, Cen
eral M inager issued the following circular
with orders to the company's agents to
post it in q conspicuous place.
1.-The mail and express cars on our West |
bound express train when at point |
eighteen miles East of Tucson, Arizona
Territory at 10 o'clock last night were
stopped and robbed by four or five men. |
The Southern Pacific Company hereby |
offers reward of 81, 900 each for the ar
rest and conviction of the robbers which is |
in addition to a like reward offered by /
Wells, Fargo Il Co.'s Express. In addition |
we understand the United States postofice |
department has standing reward OF 5000 |
each for the arrest and conviction of the |
persons engaged in robbing maiIs.''
From information received General /
Manager Towne said this afternoon in ref
erence to the affair: 'There were five |
shots fired from the bank by the robbers
into the express car after the train had
been brought to a stop. The robbers had
placed their ties on the track, and a red
signal was waved to stop. When the train
came to a standstill the engineer and fire.
man were ordered to get off the engine,
which they did. Then they were each
given
STICK OF GIANT POWDER
and told that they must compel the mail
agents and express messenger to open the
car, or the robbers would, with revolvers,
compel them to light the dynamite to de-
stroy the cars. Under their threats the
express messenger and mail agents aban-
ioned their cars. The robbers then un-
coupled the engine, express and mail cars
rom the train, and got on the engine
and ran down the track two
miles. There they stopped and took all
the monry they could find. The money
obtained from the Wells, Fargo & Co. was
d 000 NJ |
The robbers did not enter the passenger
,ars. When the robbers went away on
the locomotive which they appear to be
able to run, they left the engineer and
fireman standing beside the track. The
engineer and fireman followed the course
taken and took the locomotive and cars
back to the train and proceeded Westward.
No one was injured. l have not yet heard
as to whether the mail was rifled."
Additional facts were received concerning
the robbery in dispatches to Wells, Fargo
Co. These were that the train was held
up three miles east OF Papago in a cut. The
nail was robbed as we'll as the express. No
one was injured by the shooting. When
The news was carried to Pantano concern
ng the robbery, United States Marshal
Mead and deputy and two Deputy Sheriffs
md two others started after the train.
The locomotive and cars were found at
Post, abont mile west OF {
Dapago. The engine was dead" the head. [
light put out and air brakes on. There
vas no trace of the robbers. Marshal Mead
ent for troops to Fort Lowell and thirty
i've soldiers left there at o'clock this 1
morning to scour the country Officer
Harris wis expected to arrive soon and an
'ther party IL
WITH INDIAN TRAILERs,
expected to arrive from Yuma to hunt for
he robbers. Colonel Welder, Superintend-
mt of the Mail Service, said to-day he had
eceiyed dispatch from Mr.. True. mail
gent on the route between Los Angeles
md Deming, concerning the robbery. The {
nail agents were given just one and one
lalf minutes to get out, under the threat
# being blown up with 500 pounds of
|ynamite, and they at once got out. The
xpress messenger IL
SAVED $4,000 Ii
rom the robbers by hastily hiding it. The !
xtent of the mail robbery Wilder did not !
now. Mr.. True had telegraphed he would
,end particulars from Los Angeles. The
xpress was running light on this trip.
With the reward offered by the railroad